For the busy person who wants to stay connected to God throughout the week!

Posts tagged ‘relaxation’

Life has been uber busy these last two weeks. We have transitioned from our winter stay in Georgia back to our home in Western New York. Packing up, driving two days in caravan mode, unpacking two cars, settling in, recovering from the stomach bug not to mention all the things on my calendar that had to be done as soon as I got back including a wedding and preaching the same weekend. All of which I consciously accepted and for which I was excited. Nonetheless, I found myself petering out long before any of my tasks were completed.

And I did something totally novel for me. I stopped and rested!!!

I listened to my body, which was pretty adamant, and took a breather. When I first sat or laid down, I wasn’t sure my back would stop aching or my tiredness would disappear without days of rest. However, within 20 minutes the spasms were gone and I felt like myself again.

Twenty minutes! Then, I was up and about my tasks again until the tiredness tapped me on the shoulder and said “excuse me…time for a break”. I became obedient to that message. And guess what? Everything got done.

Imagine how much better we would all feel if we took the 24 hour Sabbath rest that God commands us to take?

Over and over I need to relearn this lesson that rest makes me more productive. It does not make me lazy. It also makes me a happier, more creative person who enjoys life so much more.

How are you doing on listening to God, your body, mind and spirit? Is resting a part of your routine? God knew it would bless our lives and when I listen I know it too.

“Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” 1 Corinthians 1.20b

Find those mini Sabbaths and work up to the wisdom of a 24 hour Sabbath.

I hope it was recently. However, if you are like most 21st century men and women, Sunday afternoon is anything but quiet. There are errands to run, groceries to buy, houses to clean, lawns to mow, gardens to plant, houses to paint and laundry to get ready for the new week. With so many people working six days a week, it seems that a day of rest is more like a day of chores.

But sometimes even in the midst of a very busy day, taking a few quiet moments to yourself can recharge your batteries, refresh your energy levels and renew your motivation to finish what you started.

I was always one to keep my head down and my shoulder to the grindstone only resting once everything had been completed. Now as I have become more chronologically gifted I have found that stopping for short refresh-ment breaks improves my productivity. I can only imagine how much more energy I would have if I took a full 24 hours to recharge.

If you find yourself longing for a nice, quiet Sunday afternoon, or any afternoon for that matter, why not take the time to relax, refresh and renew your body, mind and spirit? Breathe in the sweet aroma of late spring and early summer weather. Taste the ease that God wanted us to have so much that God made it a command.

“Taste and see that the Lord is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.” Psalm 34.8

I love it when my 5-year-old granddaughter says she wants to snuggle. What that signals is time for the fuzzy blanket, a clean thumb and another warm body near by. And when she is under the blanket with her thumb in her mouth and Mommy or Nana next to her she relaxes completely. You can feel the tension, the crankiness, or whatever else she is holding in her little body and soul melt away.

She is at peace and she is happy.

So am I.

When was the last time you had a snuggle with another person – child or adult; or a beloved pet? It is a time of complete of rest and refreshment.

Part of Sabbath time can be filled with a good snuggle…maybe even a good snuggle with God. Getting as close to God as you can and really letting yourself relax into God’s arms, peace and joy. Some people do this with prayer or meditation. Others with journaling. Some go into nature and others find themselves in a beautiful sanctuary. What works for you?

This week feast your eyes on this picture or any picture…maybe even a special place in nature you love. Spend time just looking, reflecting and being grateful. Let the Sabbath essence fill your hearts, minds and sight and ease into a time of restful relaxation.

“Sabbath is a day we walk in the forest, walk among the first fruits of our harvest and the ruins of our desperations, and see what lives. On the Sabbath, we rest. And see that it is good.” Wayne Muller

“Out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” Genesis 2.9

I just heard an interview on NPR that talked about the importance of a Sabbath – 24 full hours of Sabbath, that is. It seems that those cultures that take a 24 hour break that includes worship, fellowship and nature live longer than those cultures that just push through without a replenishing break.

We have known for a while that taking breaks is good for the body, mind and spirit but there is evidence that it also adds years to our lives.

Now here’s the caveat…it has to be done consistently. There is a cumulative effect of health benefits when it is done on a weekly basis. So we are on the right track by taking Sabbath Moment breaks throughout the day and week AND we need to be consistent. Furthermore, I would suggest that we need to be more intentional about making time for more than a moment here or there and begin to schedule in intentional downtime for hours at a time.

Are you up to the task? There is still time in this weekend to plug-in some significant time to rest and relax. Maybe instead of turning the day after Thanksgiving into a frenzied shopping day, it would serve us better if we changed Black Friday to Laid Back Friday. From what I hear about Black Friday crowds it may be a major way to add years to your life!

Get out that good book, light a candle and breathe deeply, engage in a positive and uplifting conversation, pray, meditate, take a long walk and enjoy some good food. Your body will thank you for it and so will your family. And as always, God’s command is meant to benefit us not punish us.

Blessings,

Nancy

“Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11.28

“You have six days when you can do your work, but the seventh day of each week belongs to me, your God. No one is to work on that day.” Exodus 20.9-10